Somewhere SW of London. Somewhen before today

Work on the “tin” waiting hut is nearly complete. It has gained door and window frames, several coats of paint, a “target” name sign and some rust. 

The platform side will normally face away from the viewer. The image looking across the tracks is taken from the far side towards the viewer / operator using the phone’s “selfie” camera. 

The base is not its permanent one; brick supports will go under each corner in due course. 

I can see conventional cameras going the same way film cameras did - into the history books Rick.  First it was digital - that, after a half hearted battle, killed off film cameras and now mobile phone cameras are rapidly replacing what we think of as cameras.  I was eventually dragged kicking and screaming, from my rolls of Kodak Ektachrome and Ilford FP4 into the digital age but have yet to invest in a sufficiently "up market" mobile to justify kicking my cameras into touch but I fear it will only be a matter of time ………………………….

They are so good - amazingly good in fact and they're all basically point and shoot to boot.  I recall not long ago, needing a photo for my online passport renewal.  I have a friend who has some high-end Nikon camera gear so asked him if he'd snap one.  Arriving at his house, I was surprised to see him sporting his mobile.  This is for a passport, says I - none of your Happy Snaps for this.  Ah no, he replied - this mobile takes better pictures than the Nikon and it's far easier to use.

Speaking of camera history, whilst looking for something else the other day, I unearthed my original Sony Betamax portable video outfit carefully packaged alongside my next generation Olympus VHS camera and recorder.  I was delighted that both outfits still work although the Olympus batteries are dead so that outfit only works via a mains adapter.  Amazingly, once charged up, the Sony battery worked !!  The Betamax must be pushing 40 years old and the Olympus around 35 years old.

Waddlemarsh is attending its first exhibition this weekend.  

This is a "virtual" event held by the Hayle MRC / Duchy Railroaders whose regular shows I should have been attending through the year to demonstrate weathering.  

I was kindly invited to submit a video of Waddlemarsh as an in-build project to the Christmas "virtual" exhibition which I duly did and which will apparently qualify it for an attendance plaque.  

It's not my first layout at an exhibition but it will be my first attendance plaque.  

Either scroll through the playlist until you find Waddlemarsh or enjoy the lot.  There's over three hours there to keep us all entertained.  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-06N-u3SBXzxS_DisbRaaCMCO4thh0dM&fbclid=IwAR3Jowl9326RLxRpGHYU5OyjEpUoOb9km16Ag_VUSarVvFxi7LpdhN82Fjk

Baby steps. 

A small piece of ground cover has been added. The wooden supports for buildings and footbridge landings have been covered with printed card better resembling floor boards than the Bachmann “walkways”.  That then gained some weathering powder brushed across to dull the print and give a more “used” look. 

The wooden areas and small buildings have then been glued into their final positions. 

The tin hut now rests on its brick supports. It has also gained boards where the windows should be and a pair of as yet unused notice boards. Still bits and pieces of detailing required here. 




The “target” name signs, custom printed by Trackside Signs, have been applied to their brass-etch brackets (and are mostly straight!) from Shire Scenes. 



Finally the station footbridge has been set upon its brick-and-concrete supports with the steps correctly meeting the platforms. Again some detailing to complete but it’s another step forward. 

Waddlemarsh has received its first (and my first) attendance plaque without it having moved an inch from my room 

It's all looking super Rick.  It has really come together as a very realistic scene and well worth the hours of patience. I think it is a giid idea to get all of the structures and main scenic stuff done first, and then finish off with those small details, or it can feel like one is making no progress.  I think you will enjoy adding the finer points in place more, as well.  That's what I'm doing at Faversham, I can add some bits and pieces as and when I feel like it, or as I have a particular idea, but the layout as a whole feels like it has made a big step forward.
I like the texture of your footbridge, and the corrugated metal building has turned out very well.  A much deserved first exhibition plaque too!

Michael

More small steps. A number of fence panels has been fitted around the footbridge to keep passengers from falling off!  I am also slowly building up the half-height version of the chain-link fence for the goods yard. Unlike the full-height section these lengths will have barbed wire toppers. 

As the halt develops it requires lights.  I had purchased a couple of packs some time ago thinking they might be of use but neither is.  One is a GWR swan-neck style and the other would be far too large and are street-style metal posts not concrete.

So a quick internet search brought up a link on the NRM forum which will be of use.  I now have a couple of packs of Ratio SR concrete-style platform lamps with 1930s-style shades which are exactly what is required.  These are just the plastic kit so non-working but have been made operational by the poster on NRM.

I therefore have some of the small pre-soldered LEDs on order to complete that task and present the halt with working lights in due course.  It looks fiddly but I already drilled a large number of very tiny holes for this station and can probably manage a few more!  

It's an interesting bit of modelling and if the poster is also on here perhaps they could stand up and be thanked.  

https://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Forums/viewtopic.php?t=55782

It does look extremely fiddly Rick - and obviously requires excellent eyesight and steady hands, neither of which I possess any longer.

The end result is excellent although there must be a fair old bunch of knitting under the baseboards if each LED has a resistor ……………………. :roll:

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:

The end result is excellent although there must be a fair old bunch of knitting under the baseboards if each LED has a resistor ……………………. :roll:

I understand how he has done that - I think - but I am hoping that wiring in series will keep things to a warm glow illuminating the platforms without anything in the "knitting" also emitting a warm glow! 

I need some resistors to drop the 12V output from the controller down to 9V for the signals so the same may also be adequate for the lighting circuit.  There are also a handful of yard lights which also need to show a dim glow rather than a brilliant white light. 

I really am most impressed at the authenticity of everything Rick.  Love the Southern though I do, it is not the most aesthetic of lines, but you are modelling it superbly.  Just noticed the hand rail on the footbridge, too.  First class modelling and detailing.  A really super job.
Michael

It is really coming on nicely! Some great details. I think I’m going to order some of the Shire signs for Teasel they look very effective. 

Waddlemarsh wishes all its friends and followers the best possible Christmas and New Year season under the circumstances 2020 has delivered to us.
If I thought the year had done with me I had another rude think coming.  I have been in bed unwell since Monday last week with a severe case of gastro-enteritis.  No sooner had that shown the tiniest signs of easing, which was yesterday, than the annual gout attack arrived.  

We had already planned a quiet Christmas with just the two of us (plus cat) since the only option to visit has been my sister and her adult family.  We would have exceeded numbers, required a hired car, had to sit outside and all of that so we settled for just us.  In the end it was Sharon watching tv with me rugged up in bed - though I did manage a few hours slumped on the sofa for Christmas - and doing what ever she could to keep me comfortable.  

The festive meals will wait - nearly everything was in the freezer anyway - and I am just starting to recover with all day on the sofa today and somewhat more eaten than for the past week altogether.  

I won't be returning to work for a while.  I am due back on Tuesday but having been so unwell am not prepared to return part-fit and invite Covid in through a wide-open door.  

 On the good news front Sharon finally received her PhD formally on Monday from the Australian National University meaning I am officially married to a doctor.  But of environmental history not of medicine! 

The picture is of the Hill of Strawberries and was painted recently by a neighbour.  

congratulations Dr Sharon. :doublethumb

and I hope the cat is OK after your troubles Rick   

Best wishes for a complete recovery Rick, presumably dehydration from the gastro didn't help on the gout front.

 If it can cheer you up a tad, an old friend of mine, just having had something "done" to his prostate was advised by his Doctor "IT IS essential to drink at least 2L a day." "Ah!" replied Wim, "that's at least 3 bottles", thinking only of his potent home brew. I don't think I ever saw him drink a drop of water in his life!

Pls excuse the tongue in cheek comments in following post, I couldn't resist. Lovely modelling.

Colin

[user=1753]Gwiwer[/user] wrote:

Finally the station footbridge has been set upon its brick-and-concrete supports with the steps correctly meeting the platforms. Again some detailing to complete but it’s another step forward. 

Ah!  A "classic" example of mid 20th Century Brutalist Concrete Railway Architecture. 

Well the s***show which 2020 has become rolls on to its bitter end and I shall not be returning to work to see it out.  Medical opinion now formally insists that the earliest I can consider returning is the 4th January and that depends upon presenting myself with a full recovery and a negative test.  

At least I have plenty of time to rest and refresh.  The problem is now that I have slept and dozed so much of the past ten days that at 3am today I am wide awake!  

I am waiting for a few more bits to arrive in order to complete the lighting on the platforms but so far - he says with everything possible crossed - it is proceeding well.   If you saw the clip I linked to then that is the look I am going for but maybe with the level turned down somewhat to a dim incandescent-style glimmer.  If necessary I can paint over the LEDs to help that along.  It's a technique I have used before.

The gout has almost certainly been brought on by dehydration arising from gastro.  I was wary of taking the usual medication for a day or so because it is known to upset stomachs if taken on an empty one.  I waited until matters were more normal but it hasn't given any relief this time.  What has brought near-instant relief is cherry juice.  We don't know why it works but Sharon read it somewhere so we had a bottle in reserve just in case.  The relief from pain was remarkably quick - within minutes.  What it doesn't do that the NSAIDS would is to reduce the swelling and the discomfort which arises from walking on a foot almost twice the size it should be.  At least I'm not screaming in pain.  

And Sol can rest assured that no cats have been harmed.

Sorry to hear of your troubles Rick. You might try cranberry juice instead of cherry juice.
Derek

[user=364]Super D[/user] wrote:

Sorry to hear of your troubles Rick. You might try cranberry juice instead of cherry juice.
Derek

Thanks Derek. It has been tried in the past but cherry seems to work much better for me.